Unhealthy older brother’s friend

The large conference room, where Overseas Business Division Teams 1 to 3 were seated, was filled with tension. The team members sat nervously as they faced the new CEO, who crossed his long legs and observed them.

“After reviewing, I found that Taesung Department Store has only secured a few luxury brand distribution rights in Korea. For now, I plan to focus on securing domestic distribution rights for overseas luxury brands.”

Jaekyom flipped through the thick documents in front of him as he spoke. It was a list of luxury brands that the teams had compiled.

“L Brand gained popularity last year after European celebrities posted about it on Instagram. However, its main customer base consists of young women in their 20s, which presents a limited risk.”

“Would you really call that a risk…?”

“Have you been to their store? The L Brand store, which used to have long waiting lines, is now completely empty. What does that tell you? Even an elementary school student could predict that the trend-sensitive 20s crowd has lost interest.”

Park, the team leader of Overseas Business Division Team 1, couldn’t refute his cold logic. Jaekyom continued reviewing the list, pointing out weaknesses in each brand without hesitation. Just as he sighed and turned the page with little expectation, he paused.

“J. Blanc. Who suggested this one?”

He lifted his gaze from the document. As the team members’ eyes shifted toward one person, Seo Hye hesitantly answered.

“That was me, sir.”

Given his previous dismissive responses, Seo Hye had no expectations. The other team members also cast sympathetic glances at her, already anticipating his disapproval.

It was understandable. “J. Blanc” was not a well-known luxury brand. It had little exposure, with neither celebrities nor famous influencers frequently seen carrying it. It was one of those brands that only a select few knew about.

“Can you explain why?”

“Why, you ask…?”

“Yes. Why did you choose J. Blanc over more well-known luxury brands?”

He tapped the document with his index finger, watching her closely. As his sharp gaze locked onto hers and the room’s attention focused entirely on her, Seo Hye felt a wave of nervousness wash over her.

“J. Blanc isn’t an unpopular brand. To be precise, it’s a brand that people don’t ‘know well.’”

He gestured for her to continue, and Seo Hye, determined not to falter, responded confidently.

“Did you know? J. Blanc has extremely high standards for department store partnerships and refuses to do sponsorships or paid advertisements. Yet, their new products consistently receive love, and a limited-edition model from three years ago is set to be re-released. Can a brand like that really be considered unpopular?”

She continued without hesitation, backing her argument with facts.

“J. Blanc is already well-loved in Italy, featuring designs that appeal across generations while maintaining the essence of true luxury. I believe securing exclusive distribution rights for Taesung Department Store would be a valuable move.”

After silently listening to her explanation, a subtle smirk formed on his lips.

“Good.”

His brief remark surprised everyone—except Seo Hye.

‘Damn, that was good.’

She unconsciously curled her toes. His comment reminded her of what he had said after their kiss a few days ago.

“We will focus on ‘exclusivity.’ Instead of brands that trend briefly and then disappear, we will only bring in luxury brands that can maintain long-term appeal for over 30 years.”

The room stirred slightly. It was an extremely difficult task. Finding exclusive luxury brands instead of popular ones? That was easier said than done.

“How are we supposed to…?”

“That’s exactly what the Overseas Business Division is here for.”

His cold response silenced the room instantly.

“Seo Hye, refine the J. Blanc proposal further and submit it.”

With that, Jaekyom stood up, as if there was nothing more to discuss.

Kang Minhyuk, the department manager, patted Seo Hye’s shoulder encouragingly.

“Good job, Seo Hye. Let me know if you need anything while working on it.”

“Thank you, sir.”

She forced a small, awkward smile. Having her proposal selected was a good thing, but she didn’t feel entirely happy about it.

Is he really unaffected?

He was acting completely normal, as if nothing had happened. That strange feeling crept over her again.

Am I the only one thinking about the kiss?

Over the weekend, she had tried to push the memory away by overworking herself—cleaning, scrubbing, and organizing to exhaustion.

But the self-doubt kept creeping back in. More than the fact that she had kissed her brother’s friend, what bothered her was that she was the only one dwelling on it.

Maybe it meant nothing to him.

After all, he had lived abroad for a long time. A kiss might not hold much significance for him. In Western cultures, even hugs and cheek kisses were common greetings.

But for Seo Hye, who had only lived in Korea with its deeply ingrained conservative values, it wasn’t so easy to brush off.

It’s just a cultural difference.

Yes. It was just an ‘accident.’ If she thought of it that way, the weekend of agonizing over it seemed ridiculous. Seo Hye made a conscious effort to stop thinking about the kiss, convincing herself that it was just a mistake.

And so, she buried herself in work, unaware of what was on his mind.

⸻

Jaekyom was exhausted. One of the recently fired executives had caused a scene, refusing to accept his dismissal. His entire afternoon had been wasted dealing with it.

He had ultimately shut the executive up by exposing every bit of corruption he had committed. With that, Jaekyom sent a clear message to the company—anyone who damaged the firm would face consequences, and incompetence would not be tolerated.

After a long, draining day, he finally left his office late at night.

Instead of going home, he walked toward the Overseas Business Division.

Through the slightly open door, he could see someone working alone.

He knocked lightly—knock, knock.

Startled, Seo Hye turned her head. The moment their eyes met, a look of surprise flickered across her face.

“Is Seo Hye the only one working in the entire Overseas Business Division?”

Jaekyom took a few steps forward, stopping in front of her desk.

“You told me to revise the J. Blanc proposal, sir.”

She answered flatly while looking up at him. He caught the subtle difference in her tone and leaned down, placing his hand on the armrest of her chair. Their eyes met at an even closer distance.

“What a terrible CEO.”

His low voice carried a faint amusement. A small smirk lifted the corner of his lips, and his deep gaze locked onto hers. Seo Hye’s heart pounded uncontrollably.

Flustered, her eyes darted downward, unsure where to look. His gaze followed her movement, settling on one thing.

That small mouth.

The lips he had bitten, sucked, and tasted so thoroughly. The lips he had indulged in so deeply that he had practically swallowed her entire breath.

Just thinking about it stirred a dangerous heat inside him.

“About Friday’s… accident.”

Her soft voice rang out, making his brow twitch slightly in displeasure.

“How about we… consider it canceled?”